Good morning! Wednesday! This is exciting and anxiety causing all at the same time. The slow part of my week is over. Now every evening through Sunday I have something going on. Good stuff – a couple of dinners with friends and a concert… but when I look at it as a whole – it’s a lot. I am now in one day at a time mode 😀
For those of you who have been with me for a long time here, you are probably well aware of our Literary event we had here in Brainerd last fall called Wine and Words. It was an amazing fundraiser for our local Friends group of the library and it was a huge success. For our first year out of the gate we had hoped to have 100 people attend and we had close to 180. We had 5 amazing authors: Sarah Pekkanen, Sandra Brannan,William Kent Krueger, Wendy Webb and Lorna Landvik. It was incredible and we raised more money than we had intended.
So that is good. 🙂
We are set to do this again on August 22nd, 2014. I have already confirmed my wine guy “yeah Mark!!!” to donate all the wine, and I just dropped off the contract with the Arrowwood Lodge yesterday afternoon…. now… I need authors.
I have put a few feelers out, one that reads this blog often (you know who you are!) I would LOVE to have. I am looking for two out-of-state authors who have a few books under their belt and may be a recognizable name – as well as a couple Minnesota authors. We offer our authors an amazing room at the Lodge (seriously talk to any of them from last year – the rooms are incredible!) as well as their dinner. Myself and my co-chair of the event stay over night at the Lodge as well so we can spend as much time as we can with the authors. I am saying this out loud here hoping that if anyone has a connection, idea, or suggestion – either put it in the comments here or email me at journeythroughbooks@gmail.com.
We are going to have 200 people this year. I know this because we feel we will sell out and that is about all that room can hold comfortably with the silent auction and the wine guy (*waves to Mark again!*)
You can check us out at the website for the Brainerd Friends here.
I think it would be amazing if I could find amazing authors through the help of my readership here. Feel free to pass the word on. 🙂 I would love to have the authors planned and in place by March.
Book Journey 
It’s such a good thing when libraries are helped!
Thanks Patty – we really have a great time 🙂
Yes, we all are on board with helping keep our libraries alive!
Which is so awesome 😀
I swear if I didn’t live in Virginia then I’d come to this event. I was really impressed by all your planning for last year’s event. Good luck getting some kick ass authors!
You should come anyway – as a guest 🙂 It would be a blast to have you here!
John L. Betcher lives in Red Wing. I love his books. Be sure to put on Facebook, there are always authors hanging out there 🙂
I have read his books! I met him at the St Paul book fair a few years back!
I hope you are able to find some great authors willing to help out. It’s certainly for a worthwhile cause! I almost wish I was an author so I could experience the Lodge. And goodness knows I could use a vacation. LOL Good luck with the event and have a great rest of the week!
You should come then 🙂 Would love to have you! I am sure the authors will come together- they do a larger version of what we do in ST. Paul and they bring in some big name authors and they offer no more than we do – a hotel stay and dinner. 😀
I have a feeling I know which author you mean and she would be a big draw! Good luck!
😉 I think you do know who I am talking about…LOL
Sounds great! I hope the event is a big success. 🙂
I think it will be – we have an amazing team of volunteers 😀
Have you ever thought about contacting Garrison Keillor? It’s a long shot but what can you lose? 🙂 I’m like everyone else, I’d love to come to your event – I know you work hard on it!
I should keep him in mind for the emcee! 😀
What a cool idea! I wish it was closer 😦
I wish you did too! How much for we would all have 😀
I promise that I am working on it *wink* and will let you know very soon.
😉
what a great event, best of luck with it.
Sheila, are you limited as to what genre or age-range the authors write in?
The biggest thing is it is needs to be authors that people will want to come and listen to. At least a couple of them should be known and need to appeal to the group which in the most case last year was women (about 7 guys in the room) and ages 25 – 80? I probably wouldnt do a YA or Childrens author. Last years were mystery, womens lit, general fiction.
Ah, OK, then I can’t help you with that. The ones I know are YA on down to BB. Good luck finding them! 😀
Will you be serving “appies” at this event? (JK!) BTW – “Wine and Words” was the theme of my birthday party this year. Everyone brought a bottle of wine and wrote one word on the label that they connected to me. During dinner – we poured wine (lots!) and everyone shared their word and lots of stories too. The BEST birthday party ever! Sounds like I’m rather egocentric – but my best friend and hubby planned it and it was a BIG birthday!
LOL – we should! 😀 I love the theme of your party – what a great idea! Maybe I should request that for my birthday this year 🙂